Combined elevator and water seal



June 21, 1932. w. P. DENNY COMBINED ELEVATOR AND WATER SEAL Filed July 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 21, 1932. w DENNY COMBINED ELEVATOR AND WATER SEAL Filed July 9. 1929 2 SheetsSheet 2 Patented June 21, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT 30 m h OF HOUSTON, TEXAS commm :amrmron AND WATER SEAL Application filed. July 9, 1929. Serial No. 376,996.

My invention relates to a device for raising and lowering pipe in deep wells and more particularly to devices of this character in which a seal is made between the water connections at the upper end of the Well and the drill stem while the same is being lowered into or removed from the well.

In deep well drilling where gas pressures are encountered it is frequently necessary in order to prevent the escape of the gasfrom the well to provide for the pumping of mud or other liquid into the well while the drill stem is being removed. By so doing the pressure of the liquid upon the bottom of the hole is suflicient to keep'back thegas from entering the Well and gaininginertia suflicient to blow the mud or the tools from the'well. It

is inconvenientto connect the swivel with the joint of the drill stem each time a jointis coupled into the well or uncoupled therefrom for quick operation and which willmake a tight seal between said swivel and said drill stem without the parts together.

I also desire to provide a device of this necessity of screwing the kind which may be conveniently operated so that the seal between the swivel and drill stem may be quickly made without the loss of a material amount of time.

The invention resides largely in the particular construction and arrangement of the parts whereby the objects as above set forth are accomplished.

Referring to the drawings herewith; Fig. 1

is a side elevation ofa device embodying my invention, the invention being shown as connected to the upper joint of the drill stem.

Fig. 2 is a similar view but withthe device in unlatched position ready forremoval from the drill stem." t

Fig. 3 is a side elevation taken atright an- WILLIAM P. DENNY, F HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO C. CHRISTIAN, 2, l

gles to the views shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and illustrating also the connection with the swivel.

Fig. 4 is a broken side elevation similar to that shown in Fig. 3, but illustrating the 7 device in unlatched position.

Fig. 5 is a broken longitudinal section through the the elevator.

The drawings illustrate one embodiment of my invention and with reference toFig. 3 it will be seen that the.upper end of the drill stem 1 is adapted to be connected with the connecting member illustrated generally at A, and it is this connecting member which formsthe subject matter of my invention.

The connecting member A comprises a tubular bodyv 4, the upper end of which is threaded at 5 for connection with the lower end 2 of the swivel. Adjacent the lower end of the body member are two laterally projecting ears 6 having openings therein to'receive v pivot pins 7 upon which lever arms 8 are pivoted. Below the said ears 6: the outer diameter of the body is reduced slightly and threaded at 9 for engagement with a downwardly tapered collar 10. Below the threaded portion 9 of the body theouter diameter is still further reduced to form a shoulder 11 against which the coupling 12 upon the upper end of'th'e drill stem l may'contact. The

' space between the lower nipple 13upon the body member and the collarlO is suflicient to allow the insertion therein of thecoupling 7 member 12 upon the drill stem, as will be clearly understood from Fig. 5.

\To form a sealaboutthe collar and the joint between the drill stem and l lower end 2 of the swivel 3 by means of .a

. understood.

upper end of the drill stem I provide two cooperating bushings 14, the construction of which will be understood from Fig. 4. These bushings are suspended at the lower end of arms 15 pivoted at their upper ends to brackets 16 formed upon a ring 12 clamped about the body 4 above the ears 6 and at right angles to said ears. The two bushings 14 are thus adapted to swing to and from the drill stem 1, the upper ends 17 of said bushings being adapted to engage below the coupling 12' upon the drill stem. When swung together about the drill stem the side-s of the bushings contact, making a ring entirely surrounding the drill stem and; bearingon the;

inner faces against the same.

To clamp the bushings 14 tightlyabout the drill stem I have provided a ring IS-adapted to surround the drill stem at a, point. below the upper end thereof. Thislrin g has laterally projecting ends. thereon to. which links 19 are pivotally connected. Said rings 19 are pivotally connected with the lever 8 at the point 20 adjacent the inner end of said lever. The ring 18 has a downwardlytapered opening 21 therein to fit over the outer tapered surface 22 of the bushings 14. When in open position as shown in Fig. 2., the ring 18 is immediately below said bushings but when the levers 8 are moved upwardly into the position shown in Fig. 1 the ring 18 :is forced upwardly along the tapered surface 22 of the bushings and thus acts to clamp them in wardly to form a ti ght clamping contact with the drill stem at a point immediately below the coupling 12 thereon. I

The levers 8 are adapted to be held in their upper position clamping the ring 18 against the bushing 22 by means of latching members '24. Said latching members are; U- shaped piecesof wire of similar material, the

inner ends of which are bent about posts 25 extending radially outwardly from the body member 4. These two outwardly extending posts or studs are of sufficient length to receive the two opposite latching members '24 and also having a coiled spring 26 thereon hearing at the outer end against a head or nut 27 upon the stud and at their inner ends against the ends of the latching members 24.

V The springs thus exert a frictional contact with the latch members, which tends to hold said latch-es in extended position, and when the said latches are engaged about the upper endsof the lever arms 8 they are received within notches 28 in the lever arms-andare held in that position frictionally as will be In the use of my device, as in the removing of drill stem from thewell in which gas pressure is present, the drill stem and the drill are hoisted upwardly and disconnected one section from another in the .usual manner.

downwardly into the hole to take the place of the space occupied by the drill stem. This pumping is accomplished through the type of elevator which I have provided. The bail 30 upon the swivel is engaged with the traveling block in the usual manner and connections are made between the hose from the pump and the gooseneck 31 in the usual manner so that a circulation of liquid downwardly through the swivel may be accomplished at all times.

When the device is attachedlto the swivel,

as shown in Fig. 3, the bushing 14 is swung outwardly into the position shown in Fig. 4 and the ring 18 is lowered downwardly over the'upper end of the drill stem into engagementtherewith, as shown in Fig. 2. The lever arms 8- 'are then drawn upwardly to bring the clamping ring 18 tightly against the bushing 14 soasto clamp the same against the, pipe; A'swill be seen trom'Figb, there is a; gasket or washer- 32 between the Shoulders 11 and the collar 12 of the drill stein so that a tight water seal may be obtained at that point. When the ring 18 has been clamped tightly against the drill stem, holding the coupling 12 thereon tightly in engagement with the body 4, a tightsealismadeso thatthe circulain the usual manner but it; will. also be possible to maintain a circulation duringth handling of the drill stem.

The advantages of this construction lie in theiact that the couplingpis quickly made 'as'in the case'of an ordinary elevator .and

with the additional advantage that the water circulation may be maintained duringithe time the pipe is being withdrawn from the well. 'i The further advantages of the'device will be obvious tothose skilled in the art; What I claim as new is: 1., In a device'of the character. described a "tubular body threaded at its endsfsaid body having a socket in its lower endto receive. a coupling at the upper'end ofa drill stemya divided bushing, a pair of levers pivotally connected with said body, and means connectedto said levers to fit about and clamp said bushing firmly about'said drill stem.

2. A combination elevator and water seal for drill stems, whereby circulation thru said stem may be maintainedwhile said'stem is being moved,sa-id elevator including a split VVh1le th1s operatlon of removing the drill stem 1s going on'fiushing-fluid is pumped bushing adapted to engagebeneatha coupling on s'aiddrillstem, abody adapted-for insertion into the top of the coupling, and means to clamp said bushing and said body to said drill stem including a ring, levers on said body and links connecting said levers and said ring.

3. In combination With a drill stem, an elevator therefor, means forming part of said elevator adapted to engage the drill stem to form a fluid seal, said means including a split bushing to encircle the drill stem, a ring to clamp over said bushing to form the seal, and links and levers also as part of said means to actuate said ring.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this 5th day of July A. D. 1929.

WILLIAM P. DENNY. 

